1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a still video apparatus, such as a still video camera (electronic still camera) in which picture signals of taken pictures or play-back pictures can be directly inputted to an image processing apparatus, such as a personal computer.
2. Description of Related Art
There are various known still video cameras in which pictures (images, or graphics) are recorded as electrical signals and various known still video play-back devices in which pictures taken (recorded) by a still video camera are displayed or printed. The term "still video apparatus" which will be referred to hereinafter includes both the still video camera and the still video play-back device.
In a recent computer, particularly in a personal computer, not only information of numerical values and letters, but also picture information can be processed. Picture information, for example, image data read by an image scanner, is inputted to a personal computer through a communicating interface provided in the personal computer. The communicating interface used is usually standardized (e.g. RS-232C, SCSI, etc.).
However, the standard criterion of picture outputs in a still video apparatus is not identical to the communicating interface standard mentioned above. Therefore, in order to input the recorded picture of the still video apparatus into a personal computer as image data, it is necessary to provide an image data communicating interface in the personal computer. However, since the image data communicating interface provided in the personal computer includes a signal processing circuit in addition to a similar signal processing circuit provided in the still video apparatus, the circuit arrangement becomes complicated as a whole, so that the number of signal processing steps is increased, resulting in deteriorated image signals.